2009 Vintage

• Case Production: 336 cases
• Vineyards: Lone Oaks, Dutton Ranch House Block, Morelli, Rued and Sebastopol
• Cooperage :60% new French Artisan Oak
• Vinification: Hand sorted, whole cluster pressed, native yeast fermentation, Sur lies with bâtonnage

The first bottling of “The Voyage” Chardonnay represents our belief that harmony can be reached from seemingly unrelated parts. Delicate in the mouth, this wine is round and soft with layers of pear, quince, and wild honey comb wrapped around a mineral driven core.

A nose of lemon blossoms, ripe melon, and crushed stone act in harmony with a focused acidity that carries this wine through its lingering finish. Although this wine was barrel fermented in sixty percent new French Oak and aged for sixteen months, the oak is a distant afterthought as the finish reminds you of this wine’s distant French relatives.

Given that each of the vineyards represented in this blend are present in our True Course bottling, this wine defines that it truly is “The Voyage” that defines the true course.

Dutton Ranch House Block Vineyard

House Block was planted by the Dutton family in 2007 for Chateau Boswell. This steep hillside vineyard located in the famed Green Valley is planted with a Northwest aspect at 4'x7' spacing. The vineyard is planted to a recent Wente clone from the Hyde selection and grafted to 101-14 rootstock. 2009 was the first tiny harvest from this very promising new site.

Dutton Ranch Rued Vineyard

Green Valley Ranch, also known as the Rued Vineyard, has a unique history. The 40 year old vines are the original source of the Rued clone of Chardonnay that is now propagated in various locations. The Rued clone is known for having Muscat flavors when tasted off the vine and wines produced tend to be very floral and intense.

This is the second Chardonnay vineyard Warren Dutton planted. Planting began in 1969 and was completed by 1971 with an Eastern orientation of rows planted in the old style of 8 × 12 spacing on Phylloxera resistant St. George rootstock. 2009 and was the first harvest for Chateau Boswell from this exceptional vineyard.

Dutton Ranch Sebastopol Vineyard

This Russian River Valley vineyard was planted in 1980 with a Robert Young derivative of the old Wente Clone selected for its high fruit tones. Goldridge marine based soils and dry farming account for an expression of minerality in this wine that is unlike any other.

Dutton Ranch Morelli Vineyard

The Morelli Lane Chardonnay vineyard was planted in 1995 high atop a ridge in the famed Green Valley sub appellation of the Russian River Valley area. Vines benefitting from the dry farming in Goldridge soils, the Hyde Wente Clone, and a location only 6 miles from the Pacific Ocean consistently produce a wine with aging potential and characteristics of citrus and wet stone amid full bodied spicy components.

Lone Oaks Vineyard

Located on the river bench of Sonoma County's Russian River Valley, this hillside Chardonnay vineyard's budwood came from the Old Wente clone known for its tiny berries and flavor intensity. The vines benefit from the famed Goldridge soil and a volcanic mélange. This vineyard consistently produces a full bodied Chardonnay with a creamy and rich texture.